KARACHI: An appellate bench of High Court of Sindh comprising Justice Abdul Rasool Memon and Justice Agha Faisal on Tuesday issued notices to Chief Collector Customs and other custom officials for July 24 while hearing three identical petitions.

The petitions were filed by Salahuddin, Fazal Muhammad and Muhammad Tahir seeking release of passenger coaches/buses impounded after recovery of betel nuts packed in gunny bags and recovered from luggage compartments.

The first petition filed by Salahuddin through counsel Ms Dil Khurram Shaheen advocate, Asif Marghob Siddiqui, Collector Custom, Adjudication I passing an interim order, allowed release of the impounded bus bearing registration number BSA 407 against payment of a fine at the rate of 20 per cent according to section 157 (2) of the Customs Act 1969.

The order was not implemented after which instant petition was filed.

In second petition filed by Fazal Muhammad, Additional Collector Adjudication (I) Nawabzadi Aliya Khanjee allowed an appeal and ordered release of Al Mehmood Coach bearing registration number BSA 656 after betel nuts filled bags were recovered.

In third identical petition, the petitioner Muhammad Tahir sought release of bus BSP 494 used for smuggling betel nuts to Karachi.

The bench after hearing initial arguments by counsel for petitioners put Chief Collector Customs, Collector Custom and other respondents for July 24.